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Jun 20, 2022 at 2:29 pm
City Councillor Mayor School Trustee 73 - TEA1
Kamloops and District Labour Council asks:
Do you support the Living Wage for Families Campaign? Please explain why or why not.
Candidate Answers
Again and unfortunately, I'm not familiar with this specific campaign, however, as I mentioned earlier, I see affordability as being an issue in our area and do support the concept of a living wage. I consult with worker co-operatives who see an equitable business structure as being a solution to issues around affordability.
I not only support it, I’ve been working with Living Wage for Families BC. I’m also working at the federal level to see a universal basic income become a reality.
Absolutely, as part of my vision (https://dlk.ca/affordability/) I want to raise the local minimum wage to $18/hour - gradually, of course.
A living wage for families should be prioritized. I'm proud to work for a unionized organization that is also a living wage employer and have championed that position since i have been in leadership.
If we want to see the workforce empowered and engaged in their work they have to know that it will provide for their most basic needs.
I am also a proponent of advancing the conversation about a universal basic income at the federal level and will advocate to our local MP about the issue.
The Living Wage for Families BC encourages employers to pay a living wage as well as advocates for government policies that would help families make ends meet. I support this.
This is becoming a more important discussion topic as rents and housing rise and inflation begins to accelerate in our community. Moving forward, a living wage will be important if we want families, our children, and workers to continue to enjoy living in our community or are forced to relocate elsewhere. If you look at my platform focus area on SHELTER (housing affordability and diversity) at my website: www.sunderman-for-council.com you will see how quickly accommodation only is rising above income.
I do support the living wage for families Campaign because as every family deserves safety, security, and wellbeing.
I support a living wage for families. A living wage for a full time bread winner takes families out of poverty and helps children get a much better start in life.
I 100% support the living wage campaign. If we want security and dignity for all, fair pay for work needs to be a part of it. If the wage is unlivable, how is that fair? Too many people are 1 disaster away from homelessness and this is extremely important to address. A living wage is one step in the right direction.
Yes I do, I voted in support of a motion before us in council recently. Living wage gives all workers a fighting chance to stay financially afloat. I totally support this initiative moving forward, as I can see it becoming more serious in the very near future. A living wage should be a legislated requirement.
Absolutely. I'm a firm believer in paying a living wage. I've actually put this into practice myself, over the past few years I've hired on 8 Canada summer jobs positions, which normally would be paid minimum wage of ($15.20 /hr). Instead, we've done additional fundraising and grant writing to ensure we could offer $20/hr positions, because anything less felt exploitive to me in our current economic reality.
I'm also concerned about people who are unable to work full time and would like to see the federal government explore bringing in a universal basic income to fill in the gaps. Current support systems for people with medical issues or other barriers to employment are stigmatizing and designed on a cost saving model of challenging sick people and those unable to advocate for themselves to deny benefits.
I am 100% in support of the Living Wage for Families Campaign. No one in this country should be working and not being able to afford basic human needs. The last year, we have seen such a spike in prices of goods and services, but we did not see many organizations increasing their wages. In my opinion we need take this issue much more seriuslly before families start losing their livelihoods.
Absolutely. A basic income is key to building healthy families and communities. I supported a recent Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Bass endorsing this campaign and efforts to enact this as legislation.
A Living Wage ensures that employees are able to have good housing, decent food and a reasonable standard of living without having the additional stress of making ends meet. Happy employees with a good standard of living are less stressed and more efficient because they can concentrate on their job and not how their going to make their payments.
100%! Although the campaign states that Kamloopsians only need $16.71/hour to survive here, I think the actual hourly wage to make ends meet in this city is higher. With living costs skyrocketing throughout the past few years, it is important that we ensure that families that are on the brink of poverty are kept out of that cycle. It is a slippery slope, so we as a community need to make sure that the most vulnerable contributors to our society are cared for.
As a finance major, I have mixed feelings about UBI and I would need to see how exactly the program would be implemented in Canada. My hesitancy lies in the fact that when you increase the supply of money (similar to low interest rates and incentives during the pandemic) that inflation rises rapidly. So although people at the lowest income levels will receive additional income - the potential increase in the cost of living due to a sharp uptick in inflation will possibly offset the benefit of the UBI program. Again, this would depend on how the program gets implemented and I hope that federal economists would forecast this event occurring.
Yes. I understand the current living wage in Kamloops is around $17. Fortunately that is where most employers are at in Kamloops and most job vacancies are offering when I look at the vast number of job vacancies. We just need people who want to work, and who know how to work to go to work. We also need to adapt our work schedules to fit the needs of families. Perhaps it's time to find ways to adapt some job positions to allow single parents who can't find daycare to work from 9 till 2. Offer full benefits and this way they don't need daycare space. This potentially could allow them to work 25 hours per week and studies have shown that they are often as productive as 35-40 hr workers. It might fill some of job vacancies and increase the standard of living and well being of some of our community members.
We can't call ourselves a first-world country if we don't give our workers a living wage. Also, the living wage is not $17/hour in Kamloops, that's the bare minimum. All families need a living wage, I believe if we can come good on either a $10/day childcare or a universal childcare program, we can have thousands of men/women enter the workforce, increase their household income, etc.
I have very mixed feelings about UBI and haven't read enough to comment on it.
Yes, I do support a living wage. I have seen firsthand the effects of low incomes on families who work hard at the ever-increasing cost of living. A living wage would support healthy families with better outcomes for many children.
I support the Living Wage for Families Campaign.
With rising inflation and broad economic uncertainty, we need to ensure that our working families are both protected and invested in—not suffer the mental strain of a wage that is not enough to cover their basic expenses.
Moreover, I recognize the stress that poverty puts on our children and social system, with schools historically taking much of that burden. It's time we focus on our future.
I have Always Supported the Living Wage Strategy. It was Part of My Last Campaigns. I Created 7 Jobs as part of My new Business venture and All are paid above the living wage Threshold. We Must Pay Employees a Living wage or Better so that they can live strong and productive lives, it makes for a Healthier Community in all Aspects.
If kept in check I believe the Living Wage plan is a just and noble cause. The only caveat being is if we push the wages too high, it will only aggrivate the current situation with inflation.